daughter was asked to leave homebase because she's under 18?

[whatisgoingonitw]

My daughter and her friend (both 15) went shopping yesterday and nipped into Homebase as my daughter wanted a plant and her friend wanted a heated blanket. They were approached by a member of staff who said “what age are you both you don’t look old enough to be in here” they replied 15. The member of staff asked them to leave as you need to be 18 to shop. My daughter is very straight forward and says how it is, she told the member of staff no as that is not true. The girls continued to walk around the store and they were followed by this lady who works there. They got to the till and paid with no issues the employee at the till didn’t mention age. My daughter told me this when she got home and explained the employee was rude and followed them around the store as well as giving them “dirty looks” I rung the store today to speak to a manager as that customer service is not okay. He told me you do infact need to be with an adult 18+ to shop. Is this serious? I can’t find anything on the website.

So a 16yo in their own flat wouldn't be able to buy their own decorating stuff? Really?

Ive never heard that, but shops can tell people to leave for all sorts of reasons. Im amazed that security didnt get involved and thst they were served at the checkout given that theyd been asked to leave already.

I suspect you only got part of the story.

Wonder if she was using the stores online policy to try and basically stop school kids being in there who are often known to shop lift.

“Homebase does not knowingly collect data from any unsupervised person under the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18, you must not use the Homebase website or submit any Personal Data to us unless you have the consent of, and are supervised by, a parent or guardian.”

Age restricted products absolutely do exist. I suspect you have half a story here, OP.

They would struggle to have their own flat at 16 as they can’t enter into a contract at that age.

B&Q has the same rule. My son and his friend (both 16 and the most harmless pair of nerdy kids imaginable) popped in to pick up a bolt for his racing wheel stand and security turned them straight round and made them leave.

The range used to have a notice of no under 16s on the door. Your daughter seems very rude.

Absolute bollocks. I worked in retail and hospitality for years and I've never heard of this. They may have some age-restricted products, such as knives, but:
a) they should have had training on that
b) the tills should have an age check prompt with such products

My daughter is very straight forward and says how it is, she told the member of staff no as that is not true.

God, she sounds annoying.

I imagine is because they sell LOTS of age restricted items

You also can't risk kids running around in the shop and messing about

Why? Because she stood up for herself?

Good on her OP.

It’s clearly designed to keep out unsupervised children. Probably because they have had issues with them. Your daughter was entitled and rude.

Because she was in the wrong, and the lady who works there might just know better

Which part of what the OP said implied that her daughter was rude?
Disagreeing with an adult isn’t by default rude. That’s a lazy and prejudice stance.

Well op you’ve brought the jobsworths out on this thread.
It's sad that we have such low expectations of teens.

I always wonder about this when you read on here of people being on their own from 16. Off topic but annoying nonetheless.

How is entitled to want to buy a plant and a heated blanket? I wouldn’t have even considered that would be an issue!

Don't be daft. Rules are rules, and they're generally in place to keep people safe.

I absolutely understand that there are age restricted products, but from what they had purchased they were not age restricted. If they were age restricted that would be a different story and I would of understood. I definitely believe what my daughter is telling me is true, she is very honest and if she was messing about in store etc she would just say. She came home mind blown at the employee approaching her and her friend and asking them to leave because they were under the age of 18. I definitely do not believe my daughter was trying to shop lift as I give her money and she came home with the plant she's been talking about for a while now that she wanted for her room. She is sensible. To the person who said "your daughter sounds rude" I wouldn't say rude. She says it how it is, isn't afraid to voice anything which I like about her because I'm a people pleaser she certainly isn't. I'm glad they continued to go to the till. As the employee at the till had no issue in serving them and didn't ask for ID. If the policy is in fact you need to be 18+ to enter the shop it should be online and maybe the outside shop window. I've just never heard of it before.

And if the lady had decided that men were more likely to cause trouble? Or Asian people? Or women in the 50-60 year old category with a limp?

Come off it.

The part were she didn't leave the store when asked by a staff member and told her how it is.

Some young people can be in rental accommodation eg. if housed by the council or social services or if their tenancy has been signed by a adult who is acting a s a guarantor/trustee.

Aside from that there are loads of reasons why an under 18yo might need to shop in a DIY shop ... buy plants, buy gifts, choose a wallpaper, shop for bedding/lighting etc for their room at home, need for something to fix their bike ...

She sounds great OP. We can't all be quiet wallflowers. Clearly the poster who wrote this also says it how she is (or what she thinks)